Occupational Health Nurses

The associations most closely related to occupational health nursing include the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), represents over 780 schools of nursing nationwide. Their main goals include the establishment of quality standards for nursing education and promotion of public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice. In addition to sharing the above goals of the AACN, the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) promotes the health and safety of work and workplace communities and offers numerous opportunities in professional and leadership development, networking, and career advancement. The American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) is the only organization that certifies occupational health nurses in the United States. It has issued about 14,000 certificates and currently has about 4,700 active certificants. The twin purposes of Discover Nursing, a Web site sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, are to promote the role of the nurse in society and to publicize nursing as a career. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations to prevent worker injury and illness. NIOSH is a part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.